DOCUBENT RESUME
ED 135 143 EC 092 971
AUTBGE Kirsbner, b. J.; Saroj, Satish K.TITLE Kirshner Saroj Visual Perceptual Speed Test: A Test
of Visual Readinest for Reading.PUB DATE Sep 76NOTE 25p.; Paper presented at the International Scientific
Conference of IFID (3rd, hontreal, Canada, August9-13, 1976)
EDES PRICEDESCRIPTORS
ABSTRACT
MF-$0.83 BC-$1.67 Plus Postage.Elementary Secondary Education; Identification;*learning Disabilities; *Reading Diagnosis; ReadingDifficulty; Test Reliability; Test Validity; *VisionTests; *Visual Perception
Described is the Kirshner Saroj Visual PerceptionSpeed Test (KSVPST), a measure of perceptual speed using pictures toidentify children whose reading difficulties are due to visualprocessing deficiencies. It is explained that 323 children 6-13 yearsold were given the Keystone Visual Skills Test, the KSVPST, andreading readiness tests. Data are said to indicate that perceptualspeed is significantly related to reading ability. The authorsuggests that visual training to increase perceptual speed should beconsidered as part cf a total program for children with readingproblems. Among seven appendixes is information on the validity andreliability of the KSVPST. (CI)
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KIRSHNER SAROJ VISUAL PERCEPTUAL SPEED
TEST.
A test of visual readiness for reading.
Statistical analysis by Richard Manganel Ph.DState University of New York In Plattsburgh.
A.J.KirshnerO.D.Department of Psychology & Sociology McGill University
-Satish K Saroj Ph.D Department of Special Education1,\ STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK in Plattsburgh
C X September 1976
2
KIRSHNER SAROJ SPEED OF VISUAL PERCEPTION TEST
ABSTRACT
Gibson defined the reading, process as involving several steps. (21)
1. Processing of the graphological features of letters2. Distinguishing orthographic regularities of letter combinations3. Phonological correlates of the letters4. Semantic and syntactic attributes of words
The first two processes are visual in nature and the Kirshner SaroiSpeed of Visual Perception Test seeks to determine the efficiencyof this process in terms of rate. The targets used are thirty-fivepictures of the hand, the child simply tells how many fingersare seen in each hand, the second target is thirty-five arrowspointed in the 4 cardinal directions, the child must say whetherthey point right-left-up-down. Studies show that these tests
distinguish between the normal and the retarded reader to the.001 level of confidence.
The test is useful for the eye specialist who wishes to determinethe effect of the eye measurements on t - reading process and thereading teacher who wishes to determine whether her pupil must
be referred for complete visual examination and visual trainingto remediate the reading problem. The test has been standardizedon a normal school population in a mixed socioeconomic urban
area in upper New York State.
3
KIRSHNER SAROJ VISUAL PERCEPTUAL SPEED TEST
The K S V P 5 T is a measure of perceptual speed using pictures.
Gibson defined the reading process as involving several steps.
I. Processing the graphological features of letters
2. Distinguishing orthographic regularities of letter combinations
3. Phonological correlates of the letters
4. Semantic and syntactic attributes of words
The first and second steps are visual in nature. The efficiency
of this visual process is the concern of the VISUAL PERCEPTUAL
SPEED TEST. In order to succeed at reading, a student must
not only know how to decode, but he must handle this process
at a reasonable speed in order to gain meaning and comfort from
this complex task. In the past remedial reading programs have
concentrated on steps three and four of the Gibson structure.
Naturally letter recognition was taught during this process,
however, the speed of perception was left largely to chance or
practice in reading. It is the object of this paper to show
that children who fail in reading may have deficiencies in the
visual processing that interfere with the successful growth of
the reading skill
In order to detect these children, a picture reading test was
devised.
4
res,l'archers.
visuoi perception has attracted the interest of many(19)Broverman and Drake distinguish between the normal
and retarded readers in their ability to perform simple repetitive
tasks rapidly regar,dless of whether they were perceptual or
conceptual in nature. They believed that the critical feature in
normal reading is the "automatic performance of decoding, leaving
the reader free to concentrate on the moaning. . ." Doehring(20)
studied the difference between normal and retarded readers and
found that simple tasks of speed of letter recognition distinguished
between the two groups. He cautioned educators who refer to the
retarded readers by the label SPECIFIC READING DISABILITY as
though the act is purely a reading ohenomenum without any
physiological or perceptual correlates. A more detailed
description oF the tests employed by the three authors appears in
the appendix. A review of this literature shows that perceptual
speed seperates the children studied into the two groups of normal
and retarded readers to a level of confidence greater than .001
The K.S. VPST employs pictures of the hand and arrows as its
targets. These, targets were selected because they could be used
with kindergarten children and very poor readers. The subject must
ten how many fingers he sees and tell when the arrows are pointing
UP DOWN RIGHT or LEFT. Pictures of the hand make a greater
demand upon the visual perception than letters (0.85 0.50) thus
they can be more selective.
In o:(IE.,r to secure nor-native data, the children of a primary
school were tested.
Population: 323 children ranging in age from 6 to 13 from
grades one to seven were tested. They came from northern
New York State from an urban area of mixed socioeconomic
status that ranged from lower middle class whose parents had
grade school or high school education to professional class
where parents were university graduates and were engaged in
the professions or manogement. Intelligence range was from
85 to 140. Measures that were available from school data.
Reading range was from .5 to grade II.
TESTS GIVEN:
Keyr.tone Visual Skills Test:
Simultaneous vision, fusion, stereopsis, usable vision, colorvision, and muscle balance.
KIRSHNER SAROJ TEST OF SPEED OF VISUAL PERCEPTION (see
Card one speed of reading pictures of hand with BOTH EYES
CArd two 11 I I
three "
rd four
1 I 11
I I I I 1 I 11 11 11
LEFT EYE
RIGHT EYE
appendix)
SUPPRESSIONis indicated when the subject fails to read a targetpresented to each eye individually.
Card speed of naming the directions of arrows UP DOWN RIGHTLEFT.
REANN:' TESTS: Reading readiness tests for New York State.
6
ADMINISTRATION OF THE TEST:
The curds are placed in the stereoscope at the reeding distance.
A short demonstration test is given to acquaint the student withthe test. The demonstraHon test is given with a test card that
is used outside of the instrument. Ask the student to read as
quickly as possible. "HERE IS A CARD WITH PICTURES OF THE
HAND. HOW MANY FINGERS ARE SEEN IN THE FIRST PICTURE,
IN THE SECOND, GOOD NOW READ ALL TRE,PICTURES AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WHILE I TIME YOU WITH THIS STOP
WATCH".
On the other side of the card is pictures of the arrow pointing
UP DOWN RIGHT LEFT. "LOOK AT THE FIRST ARROW. IS IT
POINTING UP, DOWN, RIGHT, OR LEFT? GOOD, NOW TRY
THE FIRST ROW AND TELL ME HOW THE ARROWS ARE POINTING.
DO THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WHILE I USE THE STOPWATCH".
The ARROWS TEST is a quick screening for directionality. The
test may serve as a probe into the directionality of the student
by comparing the test of binocular rea.ding of the hands with the
arrows.
.% s7 4 L. L. 1.0 P. I N 3% L. 1-1 VIINV
The data show that perceptual speed is significantly re'-ited
to reading ability and that it follows a developmental trend.
The intercorrelation analysis of three hundred and twenty three_
children gives a Pearson Product correlation of 0.54 for binoc-
ular reading; 0.58 for left eye and 0.55 for right eye. These
figures are significant to the level of confidence of 0.001.
Those children who are reading
at or above grade level have a mean binocular score of thirty
six seconds, whereas those children who are reading below grade
level have a mean binocular score of sixty two and nine tenths
seconds. (Fi:g 2)
BINOCULAR VISION AND SPEED OF PERCEPTION
To measure the binocular vision status, the Keystone visual
skills test was employed. The test of fusion, muscle balance
and depth perception show that 12.5 percent of the children
fail these tests when the picture reading rate was ator above
age level, while 28.5 per cent fail the test of binocular test
when the speed of the one eye is superior to two eyes by five
seconds or more. Thus children who are slow in perceptual
speed and who show the super: or rate with one eye rather than
two eyes, one third of the group has a measurable binocular
interferPnce. The number of children tested in this group was
fifty eight and the age range was from 6 - 7.9. It would appear
from the above data that binocular vision status may affect the
rate of reading pictures. It would seem reasonable to treat these
binocular difficulties in conjunction with a remedial .-eading
rrim _ (CAP nrine nri; 8
The puipose of this sto:iy is to draw attention to the need for
a more ,Ietailed investiyation of the visual status of children
who fail in reading, Routine eye examinations of acuity and
optical stotus are clearly not enough to investigate 'he complex
process of reading which requires skilled ocular motH ity
the student moves from word to word cr.c1 makes a return sweep
to the beginning of the next line. Measures are taken to find
out if the following conditions exist: (a) Focusing flexa6iHty
that enables quick change from the chalkboard to the book.
(6) Sufficient focusing and convergence abiHty to maintain
the eyes in the reaaing posture for hours at the time. Some
studies show significant gains in reading ability when visual
training is given. (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11)
THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF REMEDIAL READING
Ba low (13) conducted a study of the long term effects of
remedial reading instruction. He found that whereas (Fig.3)
children made rapid gains during the period of instrucHon
showifig ratios of growth of 6/1 six months of gain ',luring
one month of ins;ruction, witlin one year after these impressive
gains their rates of growth dropped below the mean for the
group. So that they were once more failing below the level
of their peers. A British study of remedial gains and a
stAbsequent follow up was reported by Lovell, Bryne & Richardson(14
The average reading gain was two years for an instructional
period of one year. Retesting at 12 and 16 months after the
training, the pupils were dropping below the average for their grad9
Another study Ly Johnson and Platts(15) surveyed 234 pupils
who had received instruction. After two years their growth
in reading was slower than ;heir growth in age. The author
conludes that "severe reading disability is a relatively chronic
i!Iness needing longterm treatmenr"...whot factors were absent
from the training program when these children were referred
for remedial reading? The success in long term effects of
remedial reading that is accompanied bv visual training bears
investivestigation by the serious student of reading disorders.
VISUAL TRAINING NO PANACEA
While the Visual Perceptual Speed Test is significantly related
to reading (.001) it only accounts for approximately 25% of
the variances. TWs is in keeping with the Gibson model of
four factors. It is for this reason that visual training to
increase perceptual speed is not a panacea but must be considered
as pr-rt c:f the to.tal remedial program, in appiopriate cases.
Solon (16) calls for an end to the artificial dichotomy of
perceptual handicap and reading disorder and recommends a
combined approach,.
10
APPEND 1X I
Tests employed by Drake et all and Doehring to measure autorn-
itization or speed of perception of overlearned material.' Pictures of
of objects, letters, numbers and simple geometric forms.
Drake employed the following tests: - Repeated Objects: A white
card with rows of pictures of FLY TREE CUP appearing in random
order in rows across a page 8 x H, one hundred pictures.
STROOP COLOR NAMES: The color names red, green and blue
were printed in black ink in random order across a card of 8 x II
one hundred names were used.
STROOP HUES: Color patches of red, green and blue appearing
in random order on ci card of 8 x II one hundred patches were used.
STROOP INTERFERENCE: The color words red, green and blue
cnch printed in an ink the color of which is not consonant with
tl.e color name. Subjects must name the color of the ink and not
read the name of till color.
When ihe pe:formance of 30 normal and 30 retarded readers was
compared, it was found that the normal readers were superior
to the poor readers to a level of significance greater than .001 )
11
Appendix 2
Dochring H his b P atterns Of impairment in Specific Reading
Disability measur,'d the perceptual speed of his subjects to
determine if these tests could distinguish b.,--tween the normal
and retarded reader. He found that timed tests where the scores
were determined by th: number of correct responses in a given
time or the amount of time required to complete a given number
of responses, even though the tests involved relatively simple
letter and number stimuli for which reading was not essential,
the Normal Readers were significantly superior beyond the .001
level on the following tests: - Digit Symbol. 67 digits preceded
by a co TRAIL MAKING TEST (Reitan 58) 25 numbered
circles distributed over a sheet of paper. The circles are
connected by a pencil line in correct sequence. SINGLE LETTER.
The letter "s" interspersed among 360 randomized letters.
SINGLE LETTER IN SYLLABLE CONTEXT 162 four letter syllables
;n which 47 contain ihe letter "e". TWO LETTERS subject must
underline letters "b" & "m" within a time limit. SEQUENCE
OF GEOMETRIC FORMS triangle, circle cross crescent subject
had to underline a specific sequence of forms. FOUR LETTER
NONSENSE SYLLABLES (unpronouncable and a group of pronounc-
able syllables).
12
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+1'4-4 i'r41 (-4- f4 4' 4' f
4/'1'
APPENDIX 3TARGETS
BINOCULAR
LEFT EYE
RIGHT EYE
r ir,.r
if f V SUPPRESSIONV V N if
N i fil t i
13
DIRECTIONS
Appendix 4
KIRSHNER SAROJ TEST OF
SPEED OF VISUAL PERCEPTION
RELIABILITY: To determine the rehabil r thr. Kirshner - Saroj
VSP Test, twenty-six students of mean age 8.7 were tested and
retested 48 hours later by the same examiner. A reliability
coefficient for each test is presented in table I. All r' s were
found to be significant to p .00I
BINOCULAR READING LEFT EYE RIGHT EYE SUPP. DIRECTION
.9734 .8697 .9921 .9852 .9943
DEVELOPMENTAL STUDY OF SPEED OF VISUAL PERCEPTION
Changes in speed of perception with age show a developmental
trend from 1.8 seconds per picture to 085 sec. or changes from
66 seconds to 30.88 in the time required to read 35 pictures. (
Figure (I ) appendix page 8.
14
Appendix 5
VALIDITY: The validity of the Kirshner Saroj VSP Test is
the ability of the test- to discriminate between normal and
retarded readers. Two groups -ciders were selected from
our sample those who were he u grade average in reading
and those who were below. The mean VSP scores were calcu-
lated for each group. Age of group was '8.0 .(mean) s.d. .11
READING GROUP ABOVE READING GROUP BE LOW.G RADE LEVEL GRADE LEVEL
P
sig.. P .00136.0 seconds Binocular 62.9
F IGU RE 2
INTERCORRELATION ANALYS:S OF 323 SCHOOL CH I L D RE N BE TWEE N
READING AND VS" TEST.
BINOCULAR LEFT EYE RIGHT EYE SUPPRESSION DIRECTIONALITY-.5452 -.5874 -.5580 -.3796 -.4125
p.
15
Appendix 6
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PICTURE READING TEST AND KEYSTONE VISUAL SKILLS:
To study the relaHonship between visual effici ercy as measured by
the Keystone batt( ry and picture reading, the number of failures
on the Keystone test was related to the spee c. of picture reading.
The age range of the childr,-,, was 6 - 7.9. Numi-.3r cf children 58.
ABOVE AVERAGE PICTURE READING RATE BELOW AVERAGE *
12.5% fail keystone Tests (1) 28.5% fail keystone(2) 33% " "
The picture reading rate was below the mean for the age ) andthe monocular reading was superior to the binocular rate by 10(2)seconds or more.
The data indicates that vihen children show a slow rate of picturereading- and binocular stress, they tend to have greater difficulty
on the binocular measures of the Keystone battery.
Below2 Std Dev.
1 std Dev.
mean
std Devabove
APPENDIX 7
NORMS AND EXPECTEDS
The Saroj classification of learning disorder,children whose findir
are one standard deviation below the mean have mild learning pro
Children with two standard deviations below mean have severe lea1problems. (17 )
EXPECTEDS
age 6 age age ..8 age 9 age 11) age H age 32
98 sec 91 67sec 56.5 53.8 53.5 50.9 sec
82_ -
73 53 46.5 44.8 44.5 40.9
66 55 39 . 36.5 35.8 35.5 30.9
50 37 25 26.5 26.8 26.5 20.9
Speed of picture reading with two eyes. (hands)
Passing score from mean to I standard deviation.above.
Two
BINOCULAR STRESS
eye score is 5 seconds or more longer than Right or Left -eye s
Example boy age 8 Binocular score 45 Left eye 39 Right eyeThe left eye score is significantly faster than the binocular score.
SUPPRESSIONp
The underlined numbers indicat.e the hands seen only with one eye.Odd numbers indicate right eye suppression Even numbers indicateleft eye suppression.(figure
17
55
T 50
L 45
M 40
E 35
30
?5
l'Ig TO READ 35 PICTURES
KIRSHNER SAROJ VISUAL REBIND.
TEST,
6 7 8 9 10 11 i
AGE OF PUPIL
FIGURE II
19
ABOVE GRADE
CD LEVEL
20
KIRSHNER SAROJ TEST OF VISA READINESS
6-AGE 8
kmi .03y17, ,t ej ko.)olo,
BELOW GRADE
LEVEL
'OP4IPOritlf VAPAVA4011$1401110190010-ipul)1.t1,11(y11474.
;410V-1,444:40A14.3,601pcotap.,Nyv
41:,
/411,W ',I/1i .15,41 Iti ,p
25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
,TRIE IN_ SECONDS ,
FIGURE 2 21
22
GRO011 IN RL!IING U OF M1NNESO%
1 3. 44 54 64 1PRE REMEDIAL
REMEDIAL
0 MONTHS POST in,01
,,,, .rt 0.011P
I EQUALS ONE MONTH GROOH PER MONTH OF INSTRUCTION
READING TEACHER APRIL 1965
FIGURE 3.
AFTER BM
23
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°
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